The Project Gutenberg eBook, Helen of Troy, by Andrew Lang

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Title: Helen of Troy

Author: Andrew Lang

Release Date: October 15, 2007 [eBook #3229]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELEN OF TROY***

Transcribed from the 1882 George Bell and Sons edition by David Price,
email ccx074@pglaf.org

HELEN OF TROY

BY

A. LANG

LONDON: GEORGE BELL AND SONS
YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN
1882

CHISWICK PRESS:--CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO., TOOKS COURT,
CHANCERY LANE.

"Le joyeulx temps passe souloit estre occasion que je faisoie de
plaisants diz et gracieuses chanconnetes et ballades. Mais je me suis
mis a faire cette traittie d'affliction contre ma droite nature . . .
et suis content de l'avoir prinse, car mes douleurs me semblent en
estre allegees."--_Le Romant de Troilus_.

To all old Friends; to all who dwell
Where Avon dhu and Avon gel
Down to the western waters flow
Through valleys dear from long ago;
To all who hear the whisper'd spell
Of Ken; and Tweed like music swell
Hard by the Land Debatable,
Or gleaming Shannon seaward go,--
To all old Friends!

To all that yet remember well
What secrets Isis had to tell,
How lazy Cherwell loiter'd slow
Sweet aisles of blossom'd May below--
Whate'er befall, whate'er befell,
To _all_ old Friends.

BOOK I--THE COMING OF PARIS

Of the coming of Paris to the house of Menelaus, King of Lacedaemon, and
of the tale Paris told concerning his past life.

I.

All day within the palace of the King
In Lacedaemon, was there revelry,
Since Menelaus with the dawn did spring
Forth from his carven couch, and, climbing high
The tower of outlook, gazed along the dry
White road that runs to Pylos through the plain,
And mark'd thin clouds of dust against the sky,
And gleaming bronze, and robes of purple stain.

II.

Then cried he to his serving men, and all
Obey'd him, and their labour did not spare,
And women set out tables through the hall,
Light polish'd tables, with the linen fair.
And water from the well did others bear,
And the good hou